The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral cancer is a common malignancy worldwide, with high disease-related death rates. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for more than 90% of oral tumors, with surgical management remaining the treatment of choice. However, advanced and metastatic OSCC is still incurable. Thus, emphasis has...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Eleni Marina Kalogirou, Konstantinos I. Tosios, Panagiotis F. Christopoulos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.611115/full
_version_ 1818847101198532608
author Eleni Marina Kalogirou
Konstantinos I. Tosios
Panagiotis F. Christopoulos
author_facet Eleni Marina Kalogirou
Konstantinos I. Tosios
Panagiotis F. Christopoulos
author_sort Eleni Marina Kalogirou
collection DOAJ
description Oral cancer is a common malignancy worldwide, with high disease-related death rates. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for more than 90% of oral tumors, with surgical management remaining the treatment of choice. However, advanced and metastatic OSCC is still incurable. Thus, emphasis has been given lately in understanding the complex role of the oral tumor microenvironment (TME) in OSCC progression, in order to identify novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a major population of the OSCC TME, with bipolar role in disease progression depending on their activation status (M1 vs. M2). Here, we provide an up to date review of the current literature on the role of macrophages during oral oncogenesis, as well as their prognostic significance in OSCC survival and response to standard treatment regimens. Finally, we discuss novel concepts regarding the potential use of macrophages as targets for OSCC immunotherapeutics and suggest future directions in the field.
first_indexed 2024-12-19T05:56:05Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b9596cc852fb4705bedaab716b19fcf5
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2234-943X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-19T05:56:05Z
publishDate 2021-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Oncology
spelling doaj.art-b9596cc852fb4705bedaab716b19fcf52022-12-21T20:33:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2021-03-011110.3389/fonc.2021.611115611115The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell CarcinomaEleni Marina Kalogirou0Konstantinos I. Tosios1Panagiotis F. Christopoulos2Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GreeceDepartment of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, GreeceDepartment of Pathology, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayOral cancer is a common malignancy worldwide, with high disease-related death rates. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for more than 90% of oral tumors, with surgical management remaining the treatment of choice. However, advanced and metastatic OSCC is still incurable. Thus, emphasis has been given lately in understanding the complex role of the oral tumor microenvironment (TME) in OSCC progression, in order to identify novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) constitute a major population of the OSCC TME, with bipolar role in disease progression depending on their activation status (M1 vs. M2). Here, we provide an up to date review of the current literature on the role of macrophages during oral oncogenesis, as well as their prognostic significance in OSCC survival and response to standard treatment regimens. Finally, we discuss novel concepts regarding the potential use of macrophages as targets for OSCC immunotherapeutics and suggest future directions in the field.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.611115/fulloral canceroral squamous cell carcinomatumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)M1-M2 phenotypeclassical activationmacrophage polarization
spellingShingle Eleni Marina Kalogirou
Konstantinos I. Tosios
Panagiotis F. Christopoulos
The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Frontiers in Oncology
oral cancer
oral squamous cell carcinoma
tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)
M1-M2 phenotype
classical activation
macrophage polarization
title The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
title_full The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
title_fullStr The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
title_short The Role of Macrophages in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
title_sort role of macrophages in oral squamous cell carcinoma
topic oral cancer
oral squamous cell carcinoma
tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)
M1-M2 phenotype
classical activation
macrophage polarization
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.611115/full
work_keys_str_mv AT elenimarinakalogirou theroleofmacrophagesinoralsquamouscellcarcinoma
AT konstantinositosios theroleofmacrophagesinoralsquamouscellcarcinoma
AT panagiotisfchristopoulos theroleofmacrophagesinoralsquamouscellcarcinoma
AT elenimarinakalogirou roleofmacrophagesinoralsquamouscellcarcinoma
AT konstantinositosios roleofmacrophagesinoralsquamouscellcarcinoma
AT panagiotisfchristopoulos roleofmacrophagesinoralsquamouscellcarcinoma